Latest news stories from the Rotary Times, published in Northwest England for general consumption

April 28, 2007

Don't let him die - what to do

When things go wrong…….

Sometimes a drinking session gets out of
hand. Young people can become intoxicated quite quickly, even to the point of
slipping into unconsciousness. Their friends may feel frightened about the
situation, but there are some basic steps you should take.

Rotarian Steve Evans, a paramedic with the
North West Ambulance Service, has some first aid advice for young people. Steve
says:-

1. Don't panic, the Ambulance Service is
there to help you in this situation.

2. Clear the casualty's airway of vomit by
finger sweeping if necessary.

3. Make sure the casualty is breathing by
looking, listening and feeling for movement of the chest or abdomen, if they
are not breathing then you need to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

4. If the casualty is breathing then you need
to clear the area of broken glass so that you do not roll them on to it.

5. Having done this you need to roll the
casualty into the recovery position, that is on to their side so that they can
still breathe. If you roll them right over then they will not be able to
breathe properly, as their own body weight will stop them from breathing.

6. This is the time to send or phone for the
Ambulance by dialling 999, giving the exact location of the casualty. It will
help the Ambulance crew if you send somebody to meet them and guide them to the
casualty.

7. You should try and keep the casualty warm
as a side effect of too much alcohol is hypothermia.

8. Keep checking that the casualty has a
clear airway and is still breathing properly until the Ambulance arrives.

By following these simple steps you may save
the life of a friend. Do not worry about getting into trouble by getting
involved, because we are more interested in saving lives than telling people
off."

Steve is running a nationwide campaign to
encourage young people to stay and help an unconscious friend, by giving first
aid and then calling an ambulance. His campaign is called "Don't walk away
and let a friend die!" and you can get details of the campaign below,
as well as downloading a campaign poster www.merseyambulance.nhs.uk